Little Piece of Paper

A/N: Yatta! I got some time to write another one-shot that has been bugging the…uh…you get the idea. n-n;; If it weren’t bugging me, I’d be writing another chapter for Neji Gaiden. Or my other fics. I was playing around with my Konoha Forehead protector when I noticed that…nah, it’d spoil the story. Anyway, up comes this! And yes, I am obsessive enough to have a headband. --; Kinda short, but whatever. Tenten’s POV

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No…no! This can’t be right! I stared at my fallen teammate, no, love as he took a kunai to back, right above his heart. I knew it. He knew it. It was over for him. And yet…I tried to be strong. Just for him. But it wasn’t working.

“Hn,” he whispered, turning to his back away from me. I looked at him and his bloody face. If only I hadn’t told him to take this shortcut!

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Flashback

“C’mon, Neji! We’ll get to Sunagakure faster if we go through here!” I yelled.

“No,” he retorted. “It looks…dark. No.”

“Aww, but Neji!”

“I said no, and that’s final!”

I tried yanking his arm in the direction of the forest. It was getting late, and I didn’t want to camp out again. I wanted to get to Sunakagure. With a silent sigh, I felt Neji give in as he walked alongside me, into the forest.

“If anything happens to us, it’s your fault,” he said, glaring at me.

“Alright, alright, I get it. Nothing’ll happen anyway…” I murmured.

But just as I had finished my sentence, we were attacked by a group of missing sand nins. Neji had already gotten two out of the three, but the third has speed beyond that of which my eyes were capable of following. I turned around and gasped at the injured and dead ninjas. The dead being the sound, and the injured being none other than…

“NEJI!”

End Flashback

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“It’s all my fault!” I said, pounding the ground with my fist. I felt tears well up in my eyes as my nose became stuffed. I sniffled. I can’t show weakness! Not to Neji!

“Why…are you crying?” asked Neji in a monotone. “Clause 25 of the Ninja Code: A ninja must not show any emotion in any situation…A ninja must put the mission first and must have a heart that will allow him not to cry…”

“How can you expect me not to cry when you’re dying?” I screamed.

“Easy,” he choked, “I’m just a teammate.”

“Who said you were!” I yelled, hugging his body closer to mine. “I love you, Neji!”

I saw Neji’s eyes widen…and then, he smiled. That’s something the Neji I know would never do. His mouth kept moving, as if to say something.

“Head…band…” he choked.

I reached for it and slowly untied it, thinking that he wanted me to tell him if he was dying. I rubbed my finders across his curse mark, tears flowing harder. Sure enough…it was fading. I held his headband in my hand, refusing to lessen my grip on it.

“Neji…your mark…it’s fading…” I whispered. My voice was beginning to crack from all the crying I had done.

Neji shook his head and lifted a finder to point at the Konoha symbol before it fell to the earth once again…but this time…his eyes were closed.

“Neji…no…Neji!” I screamed, hugging his lifeless body harder. This can’t be! Why!

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It has been a week since that day…and today is the day of the funeral. I paid my deepest respects, and stayed at the grave longer than anyone else. And I cried. Again. Even in front of your grave I couldn’t help but let the tears flow again. I have your headband with me at all times…because now I wear it. I’m wearing Hyuuga Neji’s Konoha headband.

It’s just not the same without you Neji…I miss you so much.

It was now late at night, and as I prepared myself for sleep, I took off his headband, folded it, and settled it on my nightstand. I was about to turn off the light, but not before I noticed a tiny spot of white above the metal plate emblazoned by the Konoha leaf. I picked up the headband and pulled at it, only to reveal a long, folded piece of paper.

I unfolded it, reading the message inside.

Tenten,

You know…you were always more than just a teammate to me. You were Konoha’s number one weapons master…not to mention the one I watch out for most. You and I always sparred in the mornings, and then we’d walk around town, going to weapon shops and whatnot. It was always fun when you were around, even if the mood I put on didn’t seem that way.

Someday…I want to be able to tell you something. I want to tell you…that I love you. If you’re reading this, then I guess I must be dead. After all, I’d rather die than have anyone read this. I hid this in my headband for a reason, after all. The metal is unbreakable.

Tenten, if I’m dead, and you’re reading this, I’m watching you. I will always watch you until the day we can be together in Heaven.

Heh, this not is done for. It’s not like anyone will actually read this. I guess I may as well put it away now…

Neji…I never thought…

“I’m with you in soul Neji. You took away my heart.” I said. “I won’t be falling in love. Not with anyone but you.” Who would have thought? And all because of a little piece of paper.

I looked up to the sky. I swear I saw a glimpse of him as I whispered, “I’ll always love you.”

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A/N: That didn’t take long to type. Then again, it was very short. Sorry guys! u-u I was bored, and I felt like doing this. Please review, I need to know how my fics are doing. XP It’s thanks to people like you that I can continue to write! …It’s things like homework that prevents me. DX See you next time! – Shikyo Yaiba